Hoist



Apri l, 1947. F. P. LWLER HOIST Filed April 5. 1944 INVENTOR. JFMNK P. LAwLER ATTURNEYS Patented Apr. l,` 194:7

HOIST Frank P. Lawler, Chicago, Ill., assigner of onethird to Charles H. Grant, San Francisco, Calif., one-third to Frank P. Lawler, Chicago, Ill.,

and one-third to Paul J. Tyler, Oroville, Calif.,

jointly Application April 5, 1942i, Serial No. 529,883

p 'I'his invention relates to a hoisting unit particularly adapted to be mounted in direct alignment with or in front of a driving shaft. for instance the front power takeoi shaft or the rear Vpower takeoff shaft of a tractor or the like.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplify the construction and operation of hoists which are especially designed for application to tractors for use in actuating bulldozers, trail builders, andother earth-moving or road-building equipment or the like; to provide a cable-winding hoist having a relatively high ratio of gear reduction interposed between the driving shaft and the driven cable drum so that it may be employed in connection with and directly connected to the driving shaft of any high speed tractor engine or any other high speed prime mover; to provide a hoist in `which a clutch or power-engaging element is operative directly on the high speed driving shaft and which is so arranged that all of the reduction gearing and the hoisting elements will remain stationary or static whenever the clutch is Claims. (Cl. 2511-187) disengaged, thereby enabling the hoist to be directly connected to a constantly running highspeed power supply shaft without necessity of any of the reduction gearing or hoisting elements rotating at any time except when the hoist is in use for pulling in or paying out the hoisting cable; to pro-vide a cable winding hoist which is arranged so that al1 of the reduction gearing and hoisting elements employed remain ,stationary except when the hoist is in actual operation and which will, therefore, impose a minimum parasitic frictional drag on the power supply unit when the power shaft is constantly running and the hoist unit is inoperative; to provide a hoist in which the driving clutch is interposed between the power supply and the reduction gearing which operates the cable winding drum and in which the retarding or stopping brake operates directly on the relatively slow speed cable drum, said clutch and brake being operated by a single control lever arranged for proper sequence `of engagementA and disengagement to control the pulling in and paying out of the hoisting` cable; and, further, to provide a hoisting unit in which the high speed driving shaft and the low speed driven drum are in substantial alignment and in which the reduction gearing and driving clutch are enclosed within a pair of connected cable winding and brake drums so as to form a most compact hoisting unit and to exclude dust, dirt, moisture, etc.

2 The hoist is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 'is a central, vertical, longitudinal section of the hoist;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Y Fig. 3 is an end view showing the control lever and the mechanism actuated thereby.

`Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly Fig. 1, A indicates an exterior housing or vsupport which may be built up of welded end sections such as indicated at 2 and 4 and an intermediate section 3. Formed in the end sec--` tions 2 and 4 are aligned openings 2a and 4a, and supported and secured in said openings is a housing B which serves several functions-first, that of enclosing and supporting a reduction drive gear train together with a cooperating clutch, and, secondly, that of a bearing support for a cable drum C and a connected "brake Vdrum D. Y

AThe housing B has a central enlarged portion and a pair of hub-like extensions 6 land 1 at opposite ends thereof. The hub `'l extends into and is supported in the opening 4a` while the hub `6 extends into the. opening 2a where it is secured both against endwise movement and rotation by bolts 8 or similar means. Abearing 9 is disposed within the hub l and journaled therein is a drive shaft Il) which may be coupled to a prime mover in any suitable manner. Formed within the" enlarged portion 5 of the housing B is an annular extension Il and mount-v ed at the inner end of the hub 5 and in the extension Il arebearings l2 and i4 in which is journaled a pinion Iii through which extends a driven shaft l. Securedbelow shaft I5 in the enlargedV portion 5 of the housing B is a journal pin `I'l and rotatable onsaid pin `are a pair of connected gears I8 and i9, gear i3 meshing with the pinion l and gear IB with an internal ring gear 29 which is secured within the brake drum D by means of bolts 2|.

. Y Where a hoist `of `this character iswmounted on a tractor, it is desirable that the. gears re,-` main at rest at all times except when the hoist is in operation, as gears runningidle are subject to considerable wear and inadditionthereto impose a` considerable power drag on the prime mover. Y A clutch is accordingly provided, and this `is interposed between the drive andthe driven shafts. A cone-type clutch is Ahere illus-f trated, the cone 23 of said clutchbeing carried by the driven shaft and the complementary cone drum 2li by the drive shaft. Longitudinal move-y ment must, of course, be transmitted to the cone in order to connect or disconnect the clutch, and this is accomplished by forming a spline connection between the driven shaft and the pinion I6 driven thereby. In addition theret-o, an internally threaded collar is secured within the outer end of the hub E. This threaded .collar engages threads formed externally of the hub 26 which is provided with a lever 21. when rocked in one direction or another partially rotates the hub 25 and thereby advances or retracts it with relation to the hub 6. The advancing movement being imparted to the driven shaft and the cone throughmeans'of a thrust bearing 28 and a collar .Sil to .en-gagelthe clutch and conversely permits disengagement of the clutch when retracted, the disengaging movement being aided by a spring 29,7-the main function of which is to maintain engagement between the thrust collar 3D, the bearing 28, and the vhub 26.

The cab-le "drum C is inv this linstance formed integrally with the brake drum D. This is in `turn providedl with an end head 2 secured by bolts 33. The head is journaled as at -34 on the 4exterior surface of 'the rhub 1, whilethe cable Idrum is journaled as at 35 on the hub B, thus providing ample `and widely spread bearing surfaces for the connected cable drum and brake Vdrnrn to take care of Iany loads to which they maybe subjected. I

'The brake drum is vsurrounded by a brake band 40., This band is anchored at one end to the housing A, as indicated, andis adjustably secured jat the other V.end to a Vlever 4l pivoted as at 4?.

lever 21 and also with a second lever 44. This .latlter'lever'is'connected with lever 4| through .a link andlever 21 is similarly connected with lever "4i through ,a linjk `46. The 'links 45 and 46 areof va type which will transmit load in one direction only and act in opposition to each other; .that is, if Vthe lever 21 is swung in the direction of ar- .row a (see Fig. 3), link 46 will impart movement tolever 41 in the same direction while link 45 will merely become extended. Conversely, if lever 21 isfswung in the opposite direction, link 45 will extendwhilelink 45 will impart movement to ylevel` 4|. 'IT-he extending movement of the 'links in 0p- .position to .each other is important as .it permits the useof a single lever 443 to control all operations of the hoist. For instance, if .the control lever 48 is movedin .the direction of arrow a, .such movement will be imparted to lever 21,'and when this reaches the position indicated by line b, 'the Jorakeband will .be partially released and the rcone clutch partially engaged, and when it reaches the position indicatedby the line. c, the band willbe fully released and the .clutch fully engaged, .thereby permitting power to be transmitted through the reduction .gear .drive `to .drive the brake and cable drum. The full line position of lever 21 as .shown in Fig. 3, vis its neutral position. In this position the .brake band is applied by the .action of the spring 4.3 and the cone `clutchis disengaged. Hence, if the. lever is moved back .to this position, vthe hoist becomes. inoperative.V When the brake vband .is .disengaged and the clutch .en-V gaged, the .cable drum is obviously .operating or reeling'in .the Lcable. In practically all instances.

' .4( Hub 2B, as previously stated, is 'provided with .a

This lever ,Sil

tion indicated by the lined. When this is done,

link 45 acts on lever 4| to release or slacken its grip on the brake band by neutralizing the ten- 'fsion of the spring 43, the -degree of release being,

fof course, controlled by the operator so that the load may be lowered at any speed desired, or it .may be completely released if free reeling of the cablev vdrum is desired.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that the gears in the .reduction gear drive only rotate during the raising or lowering of a load and that they remain stationary at all other times. This is important, as previously stated, as it reduces the wear on the hoist operating parts and it substantially eliminates .any drag on the ,prime mover. Thel entire 4structure 'is exceedingly compact, .simple in construction and subject tacontrol by a single lever. The gear reduction mech'- anism vand the cone clutch are all housed within the enlarged portion 5 of the housing B, and, as thisin turn is completely enclosed bythe brake drum, it is obvious that water, moisture, dust, dirt, etc., are completely vexcluded and that leakage o'flubricants contained withinl the hoist is maintained at a minimum. p

While Ythis and vother features of my invention have been more or less Aspecifically described. and illustrated, I nevertheless wish it understood that changes may be resorted to within `the Vscope of theappended claims, and 'that the materials .and iinish of the several parts employed maybe such as the experience of the manufacturer or var ing conditions or .usemay demand.

Having thus described and illustrated my vinvention, what ,I claim and desirerto .secure by Letters Patentie: Y A

`1. In a .hoist of the 4character described, a housing, aconnected vbrake drum, cable drum and'head member enclosing and journaledon't'he housing, a driveV .shaft journaled in one end of the housing, a driven shaft Vjournaled withinthe' housing, a reduction gear drive journaled within the housing and forming a drive between the driven shait andthe connected drums, a clutch within'the'housing for connecting orv disconnecting Vthe drive and driven shafts, a' brake band 'surrounding'. the brake drum, and a common means for Ysubstantially simultaneously releasing the brake band and engaging the clutch, or vice versa. j

f2. `In 'a hoist of the character described, a housing, va connected brake` drum, cable drum and 'head member enclosing andjournaled .on the housing, a Ydrive shaft journaled in one end oi the housing, a driven shaft journaled'within the-fhousing, a reduction gear drive journaled with-in the housing and-'forming a drivebetween 'the l'driven .shaft and the Yconnected drums;n a clutch within the housing for connecting` or dis; connecting the :drive .and driven shafts, brake hand :surrounding the brake drum, rand. a `common means for substantially simultaneously releasing the brake band and'engaging the clutchI or vice versa, said means also adapted to release the brake band when the clutch Ais disconnected.

.3. In `a hoist .of the character described, `a housing having a centralV enlarged. portion .and a hub member at each end thereof, a connected brake drum, .cable drum and head member .sur-

rounding and enclosing the housing, said connected members being journaled on the respective housing hubs, a drive shaft journaled interior of one of said hub members, a driven shaft journaled within the central enlarged portion of the housing, a reduction gear drive also journaled within the enlarged portion of the housing, said gears forming a drive between the driven shaft and the connected drums, and a manually operated clutch within the housing to connect or disconnect the drive and the driven shaft.

4. In a hoist of the character described, a housing having a central enlarged portion and a hub member at each end thereof, a connected brake drum, cable drum and head member surrounding and enclosing the housing, said connected members being journaled on the respective housing hubs, a drive shaft journaled interior of one of said hub members, a driven shaft journaled within the central enlarged portion of the housing, a gear pinion on the driven shaft, a

journal pin mounted in the enlarged portion ofV the housing, an internal ring gear secured to the brake drum, a pair of connected gears mounted on the journal pin, one of said gears meshing with the pinion on the driven shaft and the other with the internal gear to form a reduction gear drive between the driven shaft and the connected drums, and a manually operated clutch within the housing to connect or disconnect the drive and the driven shafts.

5.1n a hoist of the character described, a housing having a central enlarged portion and a hub member at each end thereof, a connected brake drum, cable drum and head member surrounding and enclosing the housing, vsaid connected members being journaled on the respective housing hubs, a drive shaft journaled interior of one of said hub members, a driven shaft journaled within the hub members, a reduction gear drive journaled within the enlarged portion of the housing, said gears forming a drive between the driven shaft and the connected drums, a manually operated clutch within the housing to connect or disconnect the drive and the driven shaft, means closing the outer end of each hub member to prevent escape of lubricant within the housing, and means preventing escape of lubricant between the ends of the cable drum and head member and the respective hub members on which they are journaled.

6. In a hoist of the character described, a housing, a connected brake and cable drum enclosing and journaled eXteriorly of the housing, a drive shaft journaled at one end of the housing, a driven shaft journaled within the housing, a reduction gear drive journaled within the housing and forming a drive between the driven shaft and the connected drums, clutch means for connecting the drive and the driven shaft, a brake cooperating with the brake drum, a .control lever and means actuated by said lever whereby when the lever assumes a neutral position the brake is applied and the clutch released, said lever when moved from neutral in one direction releasing the brake only and when moved from neutral in the opposite direction, causing substantial simultaneous engagement of the clutch and release of the brake.

7. In a hoist of the character described, a central housing, a hub member at each end thereof, a drive shaft, a driven shaft within the hubs and housing, a cable drum, a brake drum secured thereto a head member secured to the said drums, said cable drum, brake drum and head member completely surrounding and enclosing the central housing and the hubs and journaled on the respective hubs, clutch means for engaging and disengaging the drive and driven shafts, and a reduction gear transmission within the housing for transmitting power from the driven shaft to the cable drum.

8. In a hoist of the character described, a central housing, a hub member at each end thereof, a stationary support, means securing the housing and hub members to said support, a drive shaft, a driven shaft within the hubs and housing, a cable drum, a brake drum secured thereto a head member secured to the brake drum, said cable drum, brake drum :and head member completely surrounding and enclosing the central housing and 'the hubs and journaled with relation to the stationary support and the hubs, clutch means for engaging and disengaging the drive and driven shafts, and a reduction gear transmission within the housing for transmitting power from the driven shaft to the cable drum and connected brake drum.

9. In a hoist of the character described, a housing having a central enlarged portion and a hub member at each end thereof, said housing and hub members being secured to a stationaryv support, a connected cable drum, brake drum and head member enclosing the central housing, said connected members being journaled on the re.- spective hub members, a drive shaft journaled interior of said hub members, a driven shaft journaled within the central enlarged portion of the housing, a reduction gear drive also jour. naled within the enlarged portion of the housing,

said gears forming a drive between the driven'v shaft and the connecting drums, and. a manually operated clutch to connect or disconnect the drive and driven shaft.

10. In a hoist of the character described, a housing, a connected brake drum, cable drum and head member enclosing and supported to rotate about the housing, a drive shaft journaled at one end of the housing, a driven shaft journaled within the housing, a reduction gear drive Journaled within the housing and forming a drive between the driven shaft and the connected drums, a clutch within the housing for connecting or disconnecting the drive and driven shafts, a brake band surrounding the brake drum, and a common means for substantially simultaneously releasing the brake band and engaging the clutch, or vice versa.

FRANK P. LAWLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Aug, 7, 1924 Australia Mar. 16, 1936 Number Number 

